Kay Elam Writes

I promised one of my blogger buddies I’d participate in a blog tour called Pawsibilities Are Endless benefitting Small Town Rescue. Check it out.

“Pawsibilities is a very tiny, foster-based rescue in  Missouri. We do not have a facility; the dogs we take into our care are placed in to foster care while they await their forever home, this way we can learn about the dog’s personality and in turn adopt them to the right person/family. We’re here to share our stories, knowledge, and general love of those furry friends who keep our toes warm and our bellies aching.”

When I first considered participating in the Pawsibility blog tour, I couldn’t imagine having anything to contribute. I haven’t had a pet since I was a child. We always had outside dogs–my mom’s rule. Of course, the minute I took off to college, she got an (indoor) Pekinese.

As an adult, I discovered the “outside rule” was a good one as I’m allergic to hair and dander. Who knew? (Maybe Mom!) I could have a pet and take Benadryl or live vicariously through my sister’s pets. I chose the later.

The first of my sister’s pets I considered a true niece-dog was Scooter, a Chihuahua that could have passed as the Taco Bell dog’s double. Scooter yapped and napped at me during my visits—would have nothing to do with me. Then I got my surprise divorce and spent some time across the country in Seattle with my sister and her family. As I moped around, Scooter cuddled and snuggled me and helped me lick my wounds, literally. Hummm, maybe it was my ex she didn’t like. I know that was the case with my sister. Anyway, Scooter died at age seventeen and her ashes sit in an urn beside her photo. The plan is to mix them with those of my sister and her partner when all are deceased.

 

The mother of one of my sister’s professional friends died in 2001, and my sister and her partner were asked to help find a home for her beloved Toby. Of course, they kept him. Then, in 2003, they learned of Tara who was in an abusive situation and they rescued her. After Toby died in 2008, Tara became an “only dog” and that suited her just fine. This is where my story really begins. (So what were those first 250 words???)

A little over two and a half years later, in the spring of 2010, my godchild’s family, also in the Seattle area, decided to foster pets from the shelter near their home in Bremerton. With three young boys, at the time 10, 8, and 4, their mom and dad thought this would be a good experience for the boys. They already had one dog, Harley, the service dog for Xander, our godchild.

Xander was born here in Nashville with severe spina bifida. He and his mother participated in a clinical trial at Vanderbilt Hospital where they had pre-natal surgery when he was only twenty-one weeks old. He was born eight weeks later weighing a little less than three pounds. When he came home from the hospital, he came to our house until his family could travel back to their home.

So Xander’s family (in Bremerton) got a foster dog, Monty, and the whole family loved him–even Harley. Then…another emergency surgery for Xander. A big one. (I don’t remember which one this was, but he’s now had around twenty-five.) It was serious enough that I flew out there. His mother and father arranged childcare for his brothers. His dad went back home to pick up Harley, Xander’s service dog–he could stay at the hospital with Xander–and asked my sister if they could dog-sit for a few days.

 

Well! Apparently, that was a big a no-no. Apparently, Monty should have been returned to the shelter, but Xander’s mom–well, she likes to control situations and that’s not what she wanted. They liked Monty and wanted him to go to a good home (maybe theirs). If not theirs, perhaps one they could easily visit…and she did have a critically ill child at the forefront of her brain. Hey, Shelter People! She remembered to make sure Monty was cared for. I’m not sure I could’ve managed that. (Perhaps another reason I don’t have pets.)

Meanwhile, my sister and her partner pondered how to best introduce Monty to Tara’s domain. They decided one of them would take Tara for a walk in the neighborhood where she could “find” Monty on neutral ground (under the watchful eye of the other of course). It worked as planned and Tara took home a brother. It didn’t take long for them to recognize Monty belonged in their home. Of course, that meant, Xander’s mom had to ‘fess up to the shelter that she took the pet out of jurisdiction (a no-no), let unapproved people care for him (another no-no), and my sister had to go through a lengthy adoption process in another county that included a home visit, personal interviews, and all sorts of jumping through hoops.

Tara isn’t in the best of health these days, but she and her co-conspirator continue to romp in and out through their doggy door, ruling the roost. Hubby and I send treats for Christmas and the little munchkins have our number. When we visit, they’re on our heels whenever we walk into the kitchen, sit on their haunches, stare at the doggie cookie jar, cock their heads and beg with those big, sad eyes. We’re only allowed to give them 1/2 a cookie at a time and have to ask permission before we do that because somebody, one time, a long, long time ago, gave out lots of cookies…but only 1/2 at a time. Geeez.

Well, not having a pet story here in Tennessee for this non-profit in Missouri, one in Washington state about other people’s pets is the best I can do. Best of luck to the good folks at Pawsibilities and their noble efforts to secure shelter for our four-legged friends.

Here are some photos of Monty and Tara as well as Xander and Harley.

~ Kay

Hey, I just found out if you leave a comment, you’re eligible for prizes from the blog tour. Cool,huh?

 

TARA AND MONTY